Ishpeming coach Jeff Olson back at state finals after son's suicide

12:37 AM,
Nov. 23, 2012

Ishpeming High School football coach Jeff Olson had his son Daniel Olson by his side at football games for years. Daniel Olson's suicide this summer has driven the team back to the state championships, with a desire to win for their coach and with Olson's desire to win for his son.

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In all his years, Jeff Olson never dreaded practice like this. The Ishpeming football coach had no idea how he would react once he got to the field. And that scared him.

Would he collapse? Would he feel nothing? Could he focus? Did he have anything left to offer his kids?

All of these questions -- and dozens more -- darted through Olson's mind as he drove along Lake Superior on the morning of Aug. 6 from his Marquette home to the practice field in Ishpeming. It was the first day of football season, normally one of his favorite times. But 18 days earlier, Olson's 19-year-old son, Daniel Olson, had ...